Kael
Seraphina didn’t want to be with me, and that left me deeply frustrated.
To distract myself, I threw all my energy into training. When I wasn’t at class, I was in the boxing gym, pushing myself to the edge. I figured if I kept myself busy enough, I could block out thoughts of her.
No matter how hard I tried, she kept her distance, making it clear she didn’t want anything to do with me. And the worst part? There was nothing I could do to change her mind. That helplessness was eating away at me.
Most of my time and energy went into boxing. I trained from morning until night, sparring with anyone who would take me on.
“Kael, you’re insanely strong. How do you have this kind of stamina?”
“Yeah, I’ve never seen anything like it. Briar doesn’t stand a chance against you.”
“Hey, Kael, if you keep this up, you’ll be a national champion in no time.”
My teammates teased me, but their words didn’t bring any joy. I wiped the sweat from my forehead, feeling it drip down my face. My chest and back were soaked, my muscles aching from overexertion.
Still, I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Physical exhaustion was the only way to keep my mind from spiraling into thoughts of Seraphina. If I allowed myself a moment of stillness, the sadness would creep in-the kind that felt like I was being torn apart from the inside.
For years, women had been nothing more than fleeting entertainment to me. I used them and discarded them without a second thought. But Seraphina… she was different.
It felt like she had tied me up in invisible threads, and no matter how much I struggled, I couldn’t break free.
Just as I was about to start another set, my phone rang. Phillip tossed it to me-it was Marek.
The moment I answered, Marek’s panicked voice came through. “Kael, Seraphina just left with a strange man. There’s something terrifying about him. Do you want to come check it out?”
I froze, the towel still in my hand.
“What did you say?”
“They’re heading toward the outskirts of town. I’m following them, but I don’t know if I can stop them. That guy… he’s giving off a vibe that even I’m afraid of.”
I didn’t waste another second. Throwing on a fresh shirt, I headed for the door.
“I’ve got to go,” I said, waving off my teammates as they stared at me in confusion.
“Kael, I thought you were training all day today?”
“Something came up,” I replied over my shoulder, leaving the club in a rush.
Marek’s words had left me on edge. An uneasy feeling churned in my gut.
Could it be what I feared?
Lately, things in the town had been far from calm. We’d already had to deal with several rogue wolves and other creatures. Their numbers were increasing, despite our efforts to stop them.
Was Seraphina in danger? Had she crossed paths with one of those creatures?
The thought tightened my chest like a vise. A sense of impending doom washed over me, growing stronger with each passing second.
I considered teleporting directly to her side, but the presence of the man with her stopped me. If I appeared suddenly, I’d only alert him. Instead, I decided to teleport to Marek.
The air around me shifted as I materialized in a desolate stretch of countryside. The thick woods nearby loomed dark and foreboding, shadows twisting like phantoms in the night.
Marek exhaled in relief when he saw me. “Seraphina just went into the woods with that guy. I didn’t dare follow them. He’s giving off this… aura. It’s terrifying.”
I inhaled deeply, trying to pick up Seraphina’s scent. It took a moment, but I found it. My body moved instinctively, faster than my thoughts.
I raced into the woods, summoning my wolf as I went. Shadow emerged-a massive creature with sleek black fur and a stark white mark on its forehead.
I reached them in no time. Seraphina and the man were only a short distance into the forest.
The man saw me and immediately grabbed her, letting out a chilling laugh. “You’re too late. She’s mine now!”
Seraphina’s face was pale, her fear evident.
“Let me go!” she shouted, struggling against him.
The man smirked, his hand caressing her cheek. “So innocent. You trusted me so easily. Why stop now? Betraying me will only break my heart.”
His voice turned cold as he continued, “But don’t worry. I won’t kill you yet. I’m taking you to the witch. She’ll give me the power I need.” He let out a maniacal laugh.
A witch?
I frowned, trying to process his words. Why was a witch involved? And why was Seraphina their target?
As I pieced it together, the man’s body began to shift. His form twisted grotesquely until he was a massive gray-and-black wolf, larger than me by a considerable margin.
I couldn’t identify his tribe. Perhaps he was a rogue, like Marek. But unlike Marek, who was still young and relatively weak, this wolf was powerful. His fur gleamed unnaturally, every muscle rippling with strength.
Shadow growled with excitement. “Finally, a worthy opponent. I’ll make him my prey.”
I let out a roar and charged.
The fight was brutal and chaotic. This wasn’t like sparring with Marek-I couldn’t easily overpower him. Every move was met with fierce resistance.
Shadow seized an opportunity, slamming into the wolf and pinning him to the ground. Its sharp teeth sank into the wolf’s neck, refusing to let go.
The man thrashed wildly, but I knew it was over. Even the strongest opponent couldn’t survive blood loss for long.
Thankfully, we were in the middle of nowhere. If this had happened in a crowded area, I wouldn’t have been able to explain it.
I stood over the man, my voice cold. “Who sent you? What witch are you talking about?”
He grinned despite the blood pooling beneath him. “You really want to know? That girl isn’t ordinary. Even if it’s not me, others will come for her. She’s as sweet as strawberry cake, and the witch’s offer… no one can resist it.”
Before I could react, a blinding flash of red light erupted beside us. It was so intense I had to squint.
What the hell was that?
The wolf used the distraction to break free, lunging at Seraphina with all his strength.
I didn’t hesitate. I launched myself forward, determined to stop him.